The only way Kovalchuck could of ever came out of that contract is if the Devils allowed it, which they did. If they wanted they could of tolled the contract, suspended Kovy from IIHF play, and the KHL wouldn’t have been able to sign him (who knows if the KHL would of honored the NHL/KHL agreement to honor eachother contracts; which has never been broken yet so innocent until proven guilty).

In the end the only person to blame for the whole Kovy leaving the NHL for the KHL is the NHL. Lockouts where you constantly take away from the players will eat at players who have other options. Not to mention the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL-KHL and vice versa KHL-NHL. The Devils could of made some big money from SKA for Kovy’s services but the NHL refuses to consider the KHL a real league.

]]>By: swesson57http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270443
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:19:32 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270443Nobody cares, nobody cares!
]]>By: storminator16http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270435
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:04:31 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270435“can’t” deal with that.
]]>By: storminator16http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270434
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:04:04 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270434And contracts are meant to be broken. If you can deal with that:
A) Never sign a contract.
B) Follow college sports.
]]>By: storminator16http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270433
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:02:20 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270433LOL, “you have no honor”. You people butt hurt over what Kovalchuk did makes me laugh. What would many of you have done in his situation? NHL/NHLPA did there contractual hissy fit (lockout), he went back home to play and realized he playing back home was a bit euphoric for him. Guy is at the tail end of his career, realizes he only has one life to live…..what would many of you do? I don’t blame him. You guys can’t expect Non-North Americans to think of North America as home. It is different, high paying athlete or not. He did what he felt was right. Move on.
]]>By: 950003cupshttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270423
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:26:30 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270423Kovalchuk put butts in seats. Since he left attendance has dropped. Stars sell tickets. As soon as he left, it showed. Since he’s been here TV ratings climbed. As soon as he left they tumbled. These days, $100,000,000 for a player that caliber is cheap. If Suter and Paraieneach got that, what would another Kovalchuk cost?
]]>By: 950003cupshttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270419
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:22:42 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270419I would like to believe there is truth to that. But he said his back was fine later in the offseason. So he’s not having issues from that. In fact he was in the KHL during the lockout and he was fine. One of the best hockey players I’ve ever watched live. Too bad he left. I don’t think his contract was ever considered “albatross” by anyone. Teams feared him, and opposing fans loathed him. At any given minute, he had the ability to change a game. He carried the team on his back many times and succeeded.

You’ll wanna talk “albatross” let’s talk about Parise. He already choked in the playoffs, as we all said he was known for. He’s a good player up until April. Then he disappears.

]]>By: khlbloggenhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270378
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 13:40:24 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270378He has struggled with a back injury, which he got in the Stanley Cup playoffs
]]>By: mpg44http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270374
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 13:19:56 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270374Whatever you need to tell yourself in the mirror to get through the day. You have no honor and your word is worthless . You asked and even insisted on a 15 year contract from both nj and la . Nobody put a gun to your head and said sign a 15 year contrat or else…. Never forget that.
]]>By: 950003cupshttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270340
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:49:04 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270340“and I’m excited it worked out for both sides.”

Oh yeah, totally. In fact, we haven’t missed a beat since you left. Shootouts? Noooooo problem! Goal scoring? Like rain in Seattle! Leadership? Salvador barely goes a shift without turning over the puck, that true leadership! He’s just trying to motivate our guys, I’m sure.

KOVY!!! Get back here now!!!!!!!!!

]]>By: badgerhockey77http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270330
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:09:45 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270330Thinking the same thing. Take Grigorenko, Yakupov and whole bunch more Russians with you. See’ya!
]]>By: barkar942http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270320
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:45:15 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270320lordfletcher- I’m not saying anyone is a simpleton. It is strictly about economics. The Devils were minutes away from the NHL taking over the Devils, which is the last thing they wanted after just unloading Phoenix. No one would buy them, and Kovy’s contract was the huge albatross that kept all suitors away.
Trading away a contract like that is practically impossible unless you are taking one back in return, which the Devils were unable to do. ( Remember for a year we heard that Luongo was to be traded any minute along with his albatross contract- what happened there? No suitors for one of the elite goalies in the league).
I personally the whole deal came straight from NHL headquarters across the river in NY as the fastest way to eliminate the Devils ensuing bankruptcy and the “buyers” were already ready as soon as the Kovy debt was gone.
]]>By: radjagerhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270312
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:24:37 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270312At this point I wouldn’t mind seeing Cam Jannsen taking some shootouts
]]>By: lordfletcherhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270298
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:51:25 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270298as if none of us simpletons understood the contract situation with Kovy and the Devils financial issues.

I still can’t comprehend how him ditching the Devils works out for the Devils / “both sides” as he put in his quote. Are you telling me it worked out for both sides because he willing left to help Lou and ownership????? Please

I think NJ could have traded him to several teams looking for an elite goal scorer and had assets returned.

]]>By: nyjetbluehttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270287
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:34:33 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270287What else is he supposed to say? “I’m miserable here, this league sucks and I totally blew it”?
]]>By: barkar942http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270282
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:29:12 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270282I love Jagr, too, but he sucked at the shootout when he was with the Rangers, too. So don’t feel bad. It’s not like he has lost his touch for the shootout.He has never had any. (Nor Gaborik, either.)
]]>By: barkar942http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270279
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:27:05 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270279It worked out for both sides, and it isn’t about the on ice product.
The Devils were heading down the road to financial ruin with the $100,000,000 man contract on board, and because of that contract, they were completely unsaleable.
Their only solution was to dump Kovy’s anchor contract, and the only way they could do that was Kovy had to “retire” to return home to his motherland.
So, Kovy goes home to Russia and signs for big tax-free bucks in the KHL and doesn’t have to play boring trap hockey any more. Works for Kovy. The Devils are then able to get a new buyer so they can continue to play boring trap hockey and Lou still has his job. Works for the Devils and Lou.
So now you can all understand the real meaning of Kovy’s statement of “I’m excited it worked out for both sides.”
]]>By: radjagerhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270278
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:22:41 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270278Honestly the new 17 is great and now our leading scorer (Micheal Ryder) and with Jagr’s performance has been awesome so I don’t miss Kovy.

BUTTTT he did make shootout goals

]]>By: duckskhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270275
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:20:07 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270275Never ever trust a ruskie. Gen G.S. Patton
]]>By: lordfletcherhttp://nhl.nbcsports.com/2014/01/13/former-nhl-star-kovalchuk-really-enjoying-life-in-khl-russia/comment-page-1/#comment-270268
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:03:11 +0000http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/?p=2312064#comment-270268“I talked to Lou (Lamoriello) for sure and it wasn’t just one day … I appreciate the way he handled the situation and I’m excited it worked out for both sides.”

as a Wild fan, I don’t see how this worked out for both sides. I think NJ could really use your services. If the NHL gives back the Devils their draft pick that was lost, then it worked out for both sides… till then, I dunno.